Automatic service equipment



y 1945. E. J. DE cosTA ETAL ,3

AUTOMATIC SERVICE EQUIPMENT Filed Feb'.' 19, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1,;

1 I v 86 l 5 g v cfiwezzz ozsy I 2241502 cfje 62,5 70 8 y E. J. DE COSTA E1; AL- 2,377,133

' AUTOMATIC SERVICE EQUIPMENT F'ilgad Feb. 19, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 29, 1945 AUTOMATIC SERVICE EQUIPMENT Edwin J. De com and Joseph s. Glickauf, Jr.,

. Ghicago, Ill.-

Application February 19, 1942, Serial No. 431,510

. 11 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic service equipment and includes among its objects and advantages increased promptness in operation andincreased safety for the user. These advantages are achieved by the apparatus disclosed to such an extent that services and. treatment can be given which could not otherwise be automatically dispensed without undue delay or risk of injury to the recipient such, for instance, as ultra violet ray treatments. h In the accompanying drawings:

Figure I is a partially diagrammatic longitudinal section of a treatment cabinet according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a wiring diagram;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of an automatic timing device in one condition of adjustment;

Figure 4is a similar view of the same device in a different condition of adjustment; and

Figure '5 is an enlarged detail viewof the actuating lever for the timing device and parts di rectly associated. therewith; I h

In the embodiment of the invention selected for illustration, Ill is a conventional cabinet or housing supported on legs I2 and including a top wall 14, two sidewalls l6, av bottom wall 18, and a rear end wall 20, leaving the end at the left in Figure 1 open to the user. At. the right end there is indicated at 22. a conventional ultra violet ray generator including a reflector 24, which generator may receive energy through electrical connections 26. The screens 28 are of an open mesh:

' so, thata negligible amount of radiant energyvwill beinterrupted by them, which screens effectively plunger 38 of the solenoid 40'. Suitable means in the nature of a fan at 42 and vent holes at 43 are provided for maintaining an air circulation through such portions of the cabinet as might otherwise become unduly heated during periods of operation. The eye shield 44 at the user's end is adjustably mounted as by means of a slidable standard 46- for convenient adjustment tovarious heights so that users of difierent stature may move it to a convenient position during periods of use. A conventional coin control slide is diagrammatically indicatedat 48 for the operation of circuit closing means to be described hereinafter.

Referring now to the complete equipment diagrammed in Figure 2, 50 is one wire and 52 the other wire of a conventional source of electrical power indicated as the usual 110 volt cycle circuit. The" master switch 54 is placed in a position accessible to the owner or operator but inacessibl'e to the user. The synchronous time clock 56 may be set by the operator or at the factory to closekthe line switch 60 during predetermined periods which will be repeated regularly every twenty-four hours. Thus, whenever the switch 54' is closed, the equipmentwill remain operative during that portion of each day determined by thesetting of the clock. If the owner or operator prefers not to have the clock 56 control the operation, he can close the bypass switch 62 either with or. without disconnecting the clock 56, and thereafter he will ordinarily open the switch 54 byhand at the close of each business day and closeit again at the beginning of each business day.

During periods when energy is thus rendered available in the wires 64 and 66, the generator 22 remains in continuous operation. For this purpose thestep-up transformer 68 is connected through wires 10,, 12, and 14 so that the high voltage winding 16' of the transformer is always delivering energy to the wires 26. The condenser 18 is connected across between the opposite endsof the winding 16 subject to the control of the switch 80, and the synchronous alternating currentmotor Bl rotates the cam 84 so as to close the switch for a brief period every minute or so. The closure creates a momentary surge in the circuit including the winding 16 and the generator', 22, which surge will start the generator operating if it is not already in operation, butwill have no appreciable effect on the operation of the'generator if it is already in operation.

v The tan motor 42- and the tickling-motor 82 are both connected across the line in parallel with the transformer 68, receiving energy from onepole through the wires 66, 14, and 12, and from the other pole through the wires 64, 86, and 88. 3

The automatic timing devices controlled by the user are indicated in Figure 2 diagrammaticallyat and192, and are connected in series so" that powerifrom: the wire 64 has to come to thetiming device 90, and if that contact is closed. itpasses to the timing device 92, and if that contact is closed, it passes through the additional control contact 94 controlled by the coin slide 48, and the solenoid 40 is actuated and lifts the shutters to the full line position of Figural. This condition will continue until one or-the other of the timing devices 90 and 92 opens the circuit and the shutters close, so that the user" no longer receives treatment.

The purpose of having two timing switches 90 and 92 in series is to increase the factor of safety with respect to interruption of the circuit, to an extreme value. If the circuit were to remain closed for a. much longer time than intended, the user might be seriously injured. Assuming, which is believed to be substantially correct, that such a switch as 90 and 92 can be made sufficiently reliable so that a switch which has passed inspection and test will not thereafter stick, or fail to open, oftener than once in 5,000 operations, the use of two switches in series reduces the risk or hazard of having both switches stick at the same time to one in 25,000,000, which is a degree of safety in keeping with the fact that serious personal injury might result from faulty operation in this respect.

Referring now to Figures 3, 4, and 5, each of the conventional timing devices indicated at 90 and 92 in Figure 2 comprises a frame 96 housing a conventional escapement timing device including the drive gear 98. The contact I mounted on the frame is stationary, and the contact I02 may be pressed against it by a roller I04 on the end of lever arm I06 pivoted on the frame at I08. The opposite end of the leverarm carries a pin H0 projecting past the edge of the cams H2 and H4 pivoted at H8. (3am H2 is integral with the actuating lever H8 which, as clearly indicated in Figure 1, lies in front of the coin slide 48 to be pushed by the coin slide from the position of Figure 3 to the position of Figure 4. Cam H4 is a disc underlying cam II2 having slight friction against the disc II2 but otherwise free to turn on the pivot HE. A pin I on cam II2 projects down into the notch I22. in cam H4, thus establishing a lost motion connection between the two cams. The receiving notch I24 in the cam I I2 has a sloping side so that during movement from the position of Figure 3 to that of Figure l, the pin H0 will ride up it, and the lever I08 will be shifted to the position of Figure 4. During this movement-the additional notch I28 in the cam II4 will occupy the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 4. But as the spring I28 (see Figure 5) turns the lever II8 slowly back to the position of Figure 3, the lost motion connection between the cams will permit the cam H4 to lag behind in a clockwise direction with respect to the counterclockwise movement of cam I I2 so that the corner of the square slot I26 will be moved over into the middle of the notch I24 in the cam II2. Thus, at the end of the return movement to the position of Figure3, thepin H0 will be held in the position of Figure 4 until the sharp corner of the notch I26 passes out from under it, and then it will snap back quickly to the position ofFigure 3, thus providing a quick opening of the circuit. The spring I28 has one end anchored at I30 to the frame 96, and has its other end anchored to the lever II8 through the pintle H0. The pintle II 6 also carries a driving disc I32 at its outer end, which driving disc is a resilient plate frictionally connected to the main gear 98 of the escapement timing means through a friction washer I34. The strength of the spring I28 isless than the friction force of the washer I34, butthe friction force is materially less than the force the'user can readily exert through the coin slide 48. Thus during movement from the position of Figure 3 to the position of Figure 4, the washer I34 slips, but after the coin slide 48 has been withdrawn again,the washer I34 holds the force of spring I28 and the escapement lets the spring unwind slowly in moving the lever II8 back to the position of Figure 3. The user finds himself compelled to draw the slide 48 back to its initial position because no service is received until he does so, by reason of the switch 94. Conventional means for closing the switch 94 on return movement of the slide 48 is indicated in Figure 1 in the nature of a pivoted lever I36, and a downward projection I38 on the slide, by means of which switch 94 is closed when the slide is in the position of Figure 1. Switch 94 is provided to prevent the user from blocking the return of lever H8, thereby keeping the shutter open longer than the predetermined interval. Spring 95 keeps contact 94 open until lever 48 is returned to its original position.

Without further elaboration, th foregoing will so fully explain the invention that others may, by applying knowledge current at the time of application, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, in combination: a source of radiant energy for the delivery of a flow of energy to a user, which source of energy requires a variable time interval to become effective; means other than said source and immediately operative and subject to the users control for delivering or interrupting the delivery of energy from said source; automatic timing means limiting the time of operation of said delivering or interrupting means to deliver for a predetermined set time; and means for maintaining said energy source at all times in action and ready for immediate delivery of energy to the user, whereby delay in the delivering of energy to the user is eliminated, and the amount of energy delivered during each timed period is kept constant.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination: a cabinet; an ultra violet ray generator at one end of said cabinet; said cabinet being open to a user at the opposite end; guard means between the users end and said generator to prevent a user from injurious access to said generator; a multiple shutter between said generator and the users end; an adjustable eye shield at the users end movable into various positions to cover the eyes of the user; coin-operated users control means adjacent the users end; automatic timing means connected to said control means to be rendered operative by an actuation of said users control means; connections including a solenoid and a solenoid-actuating circuit adapted to be closed by said timing means, for opening said shutter for a predetermined length of time beginning with each actuation of said control means; and a master control inaccessible to the user but accessible to an operator, for rendering said generator continuously operative; said master control including automatic timing means for interrupting the operativeness'of said enerator repeatedly during predetermined portions of successive periods of twenty four hours each.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination: a cabinet; an ultra violet ray generator at one end of said cabinet; said cabinet being open to a user at the opposite end; a barrier between said generator and the users end; an adjustable eye shield at the users end movable into various positions to cover the eyes of the user; users control'means adjacent the users end; automatic timing means connected to said control means to be rendered operative by an actuation of said users control means; connections between said timing means and said barrier for openin said generator continuously operative.

4. In a device of the class described, in combination: a-cabinet; a radiant energy generator at one end of said cabinet; said generator requiring a specific preconditioning before it is of desirable efliciency; said cabinet being open to a user at the opposite end; a barrier between said generator and the users end; coin-operated users control means adjacent the users end; automatic timing means connected to said control means to be rendered operative by an actuation of said users control means; connections between said timing means and said barrier for opening said barrier for a predetermined length of time beginning with each actuation of said control means; and a master control inaccessible to the user but accessible to an operator, for keeping said generator continuously preconditioned; said master control'ineluding automatic timing means for interrupting the operativeness of said generator repeatedly during predetermined portions of successive periods of twenty four hours each.

5. In a device. of the class described, in combination: a cabinet; a radiant energy generator at one end of said cabinet; said generator requiring a specific preconditioning before it is of desirable efilciency; said cabinet being open to a user at the opposite end; a barrier between said generator and the users end; users control means ad'- jacent the usersend; automatic timing means connected to said control means to be rendered operative by an actuation of said users control means; connections between said timing means and said barrier for opening said barrier for a predetermined length of time beginning with each actuation of said control means; and a master control inaccessible to the user but accessible to an operator, for rendering said generator continuously operative.

6. In a device of the class described, in combination: a cabinet; a radiant energy generator at one end of said cabinet; said generator requiring a specific preconditioning before it is of desirable efficiency; said cabinet being open to a user at the opposite end; users control means adjacent the users end; automatic timing means connected to said control means to be rendered ope'rative by an actuation of said users control means; means in the nature of a barrier controlled as to its operativeness by said timin means for delivering or, preventing delivery of radiation from'said generator to said user; whereby the timing means determines the length of time, beginning with each actuation of said control means, during which the user is subjected to radiation; and a master control inaccessible to the user but accessible to an operator, for rendering said generator continuously operative.

7. In a device of the class described, in combination: a cabinet; a radiant energy generator at one end of said cabinet; said generator requiring a specific preconditioning before it is of desirable efiiciency; said cabinet being open to a user at the opposite end; users control means adjacent the users end; automatic timing means connected to said control means to be rendered operative by an actuation of said users control means; means controlled as to its operativeness by said timing means, for delivering or preventing delivery of radiation from said generator to said user without interrupting the operation of said source; whereby the timing means determines the length of time, beginning with each actuation of said control means, during which the user is subjected to radiation. p i

8. In a device of the class described, in combination: a cabinet; a source of radiant energy I in said cabinet; said source of energy requiring a specific preconditioning before it is of desirable efliciency; said cabinet being open to a user; users control means; automatic timing means connected to said control means to be rendered operative by an actuation of said users control means; means controlled as to its operativeness by said timing means for delivering or preventing delivery of radiation from said generator to said user without interrupting the operation of said source; whereby the timing means determines the length of time, beginnin with each actuation of said control means, during which the user is subjected to radiation.

9. In a device of the class described, in combination: a cabinet; a source of radiant energy in said cabinet; said source of energy requiring a specific preconditioning before it is of desirable efficiency; said cabinet being open for the delivery of ener y; control means; automatic timing means connected to said control means to be rendered operative by an actuation of said control means; means controlled as to its operativeness by said timing means for delivering or preventing delivery of energy without interrupting the operation of said source whereby the timing means determines the length of time, beginning with each actuation of said control means, during which energy is delivered.

10. In a device of the class described, in combination: a source of radiant energy actuated by electric power and having a pair of main terminals, said source requiring an abnormal energy supply to said main terminals to initiate operation when it is not in operation; and continuously operating means connected to and actuated by the normal energy supply to said lamp for intermittently creating the required abnormality in the power supply; whereby, after any interru'ption of the power supply, restoration of power will cause said source of radiant energy to resume operation automatically after a relatively short time interval.

11. In a device for administering timed therapeutic treatments of such a nature that injury would result from an overdose: an electric circuit; means for administering treatment actuated by a current flow in said circuit; two devices for automatically opening a circuit after a predetermined time; saiddevices being adapted to operate after substantially the same time interval; means for initiating the operation of both devices substantially at the same time; and connections including both said devices in series in said first mentioned circuit; whereby the probability of'an overdose due to failure of said devices is substantially the square of the probability that either device will fail to function. 

